If you’ve decided Nepal is worth a look for your knit basics — duty-free access to the EU, UK, and Canada, low minimums, and a partner who isn’t overbooked — the next question is simply: how does importing from Nepal actually work? Here’s the whole path, start to finish.
Why buyers choose Nepal for knit basics
As a Least Developed Country, Nepal enters the EU, UK, and Canada at 0% import duty under single-transformation rules — even with imported fabric — versus roughly 12% MFN duty on a cotton knit t-shirt from most countries. For the US, Nepal carries among the lowest South-Asian tariffs. Add genuinely low MOQs and dedicated capacity, and it’s a strong fit for growing brands. See the full duty breakdown.
The step-by-step process
- 1. Inquiry & quote — share your designs, tech pack, or a reference, plus target quantities. You get fabric options, MOQ, pricing, and lead time.
- 2. Sampling — the factory makes a sample to your spec; you review fit, fabric, and finish and revise until it’s approved.
- 3. Order & deposit — approve the sample, confirm the PO, and agree payment terms (fair staged terms; Letters of Credit accepted for larger orders).
- 4. Bulk production — the approved sample goes to the floor: cut, sew, and finish under in-line quality checks.
- 5. Quality control — in-line and final inspection; buyer-appointed third-party inspection is welcome.
- 6. Export documents — the factory handles export paperwork and supplies the Certificate of Origin for duty-free clearance.
- 7. Freight & delivery — shipped by sea (via Indian ports) or air for samples and urgent runs, with duty management support.
The export paperwork (and duty-free origin)
A legitimate exporter holds an EXIM code and supplies a Certificate of Origin so your goods clear at the preferential LDC rate. For the EU, duty-free origin is increasingly self-certified through REX registration — ask your supplier where they stand on this (ours is in progress via TEPC, and we’ll tell you plainly). The origin rule that makes this work is “single transformation” — cutting and sewing in Nepal is enough to qualify, even with Chinese fabric.
Freight from a landlocked country
Nepal is landlocked, so bulk sea freight routes overland to Indian ports (Kolkata / Visakhapatnam) before sailing. It’s a well-trodden path — the key is planning realistic lead times and using air only for samples or genuine urgency. Here’s how shipping from Nepal actually works.
Paying safely on a first order
Never wire 100% upfront to a new supplier. Standard practice is a deposit with the balance structured against inspection and shipping documents, or a Letter of Credit for larger orders. More on paying a factory safely.
That’s the whole journey. If your market is the EU, UK, Canada, or the US and you make knit basics, it’s worth a conversation. Tell us your product and destination and we’ll map it to our floor.